We are witnessing one of the most remarkable career revivals in modern sports history. Albert Pujols is known to fans over the years  as “The Machine.” He is currently tearing his way through major league baseball with little regard for the skill of opposing pitching. Let’s look at the career of #5 to see how we got to this point.

June 3. 1999 – The Cardinals select Albert Pujols in the 13th round (402nd overall) of the MLB draft.

April 2. 2001 – Pujols makes his major league debut in a game against the Colorado Rockies. Pujols records his first hit in the 8-0 loss. 

April 5. 2001 – Pujols records his first career home run in a 12-9 Cardinals win over the Diamondbacks. 

Nov 12. 2001- The-21-year old Pujols is unanimously voted National League Rookie of the Year after finishing the season with a .329 batting average, 130 RBI (runs batted in) and 37 home runs. This enormous accomplishment is somewhat overshadowed by the retirement of teammate Mark McGwire just one day earlier as well as the Cardinals continued playoff failure. 

Nov 21. 2003 – The Cardinals trade first baseman Tino Martinez to Tampa Bay. This allows Pujols to take up the mantle of first baseman full time.

Feb 20. 2004 – At this point in his career, Pujols is fully “The Machine.” After taking home countless awards in his first three seasons, it was time for him to be compensated for his work. Pujols is given a seven-year, $100 million contract extension.

Oct 27. 2004 – The Cardinals are swept in the World Series by the Boston Red Sox. Despite the loss, it is the first World Series appearance for the Cardinals since 1987 and is a sign to fans that more success may be to come in the Pujols era.

Nov 15. 2005 – Pujols wins his first National League MVP after an incredible season, recording 41 home runs with a .330 batting average. Just four years into his career and he is already considered one of the greatest Cardinals of all time by some fans.

Oct 27. 2006 – The Cardinals win Game Five against the Detroit Tigers and secure a 4-1 World Series victory. Pujols is a major contributor to the victory including his game-winning two-run home run in Game One of the series.

Nov 12. 2008 – Pujols wins his second National League MVP award after another incredible season that included 37 home runs. 

July 3. 2009 – Pujols hits his 350th career home run, making him the third-fastest player to reach the mark behind Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr.

Nov 16. 2009 – Pujols wins his third National League MVP award. He is the 31st player in the history of baseball to win back to back MVPs.  

August 26. 2010 – Pujols hits his 400th career home run. He is once again the third-fastest player to reach this milestone behind Rodriguez and Griffey. 

Oct 28. 2011 – Pujols and the Cardinals defeat the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game Seven of the World Series. Pujols secures his second ring in the final year of his contract.

December 8. 2011 – Pujols signs a 10-year, $254 million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Angels. The unthinkable just happened, Pujols is now going to play in another uniform. Pujols reportedly felt insulted by the Cardinals original offer of just a five-year deal according to an interview Pujols’ wife gave to the St. Louis based radio station 99.1 Joy FM just days after his signing. The feeling amongst Cardinals fans is somewhat bitter entering the 2012 season. 

Oct 2. 2012 – The Angels fail to qualify for the playoffs as Pujols concludes a relatively disappointing season, finishing with a batting average of .285 and failing to make the all-star game. These struggles are chalked up to the change in scenery and it was hoped by Angels fans that he would rebound the following season. 

Sep 28. 2013 – Pujols has by far the worst season of his career, playing just 99 games as the Angels fail to make the playoffs yet again. There are a variety of reasons why Pujols was starting to struggle but the biggest one is injuries. Pujols missed the last two months of the season with a partially torn plantar fascia in his foot. “The Machine” is starting to break down.

April 21, 2014 – Pujols hits his 500th home run in a 7-2 Angels win. Even though he and the Angels are struggling, Pujols still continues to break records.

July 14, 2015 – Pujols qualifies for his 10th all-star game, his first in Los Angeles. Even though this was his most productive season as an Angel, it was clear to fans that the days of Pujols winning MVP were over. 

June 3, 2017 – Pujols becomes the ninth player in MLB history to hit 600 home runs.

June 21, 2019 – In a game between the Angels and the Cardinals, Pujols makes his return to Busch Stadium for the first time since Game Seven of the 2011 World Series. He receives an emotional standing ovation from the Cardinals fans. Pujols would hit a home run against the Cardinals later in the series. 

May 17, 2021 – After being released by the Angels, Pujols signs a one-year contract with the nearby Los Angeles Dodgers. He will play 85 games for the Dodgers this season as well as a wildcard playoff game against the Cardinals, in which the Dodgers won 3-1.

Mar 28, 2022 – Pujols signs a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and announces that 2022 will be his final season. The move is seen by some fans as a glorified publicity stunt while others see Pujols as a mentor being brought in to help teach the Cardinals younger players. Not many people expect Pujols’s farewell tour to turn into a farewell home run campaign. 

April 12, 2022 – For the first time in 10years, Pujols hits a home run in a Cardinal uniform. It is also his 680th career home run. 

April – Sep. 2022 – Pujols continues to dominate at a level nobody could have guessed from the 42-year old as the chase to 700 career home runs heats up. It is impossible to know just how far Pujols will take things before his final season is complete. Regardless of the stats he puts up the rest of the season or the playoff success his team has, most will agree that it doesn’t really matter how this season ends, because it’s been an incredible ride here. At time of press, Pujols has hit 703 home runs.